Padlock

ABSTRACT

A padlock has a body having a central portion and two axial end portions. Two drums are rotatable received in two axial holes in the end portions and have engaging members and through-going holes. A shackle is insertable and withdrawable from transverse holes of the end portions of the body. The central portion of the body has through-going holes arranged to coincide with the through-going holes of the drums in respective circumferential positions of the latter. The springs are accommodated in the through-going holes of the central portion of the body. Inner pins are located axially outwardly of the springs at both sides thereof. Outer pins are located axially outwardly of the inner pins. The outer pins insertable in the through-going holes of the different drums have differing lengths. Two keys having projections of differing length are provided. One of the keys are insertable in one drum and operative for rotating the latter after inwardly moving the pins, whereas the other key is insertable in the other drum and rotates the latter after inwardly moving the other group of pins, both against the force of the same springs. When the drums rotate, their engaging members are withdrawn from the slots of the shackle member and the latter can be removed. In the locked position the same springs urges both groups of pins in an axially outer direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a padlock having a body portion and ashackle member lockable therein.

A padlock is known in the art, having a body portion whose one axial endis provided with a circular hole for accommodating a rotatable drum, anda plurality of blind holes extend inwardly from the circular hole. Adrum is rotably received in the circular hole and has a plurality ofthrough-going holes whose location and number correspond to those of thefirst-mentioned holes of the body portion. A spring, an inner pin, andan outer pin are located in a respective one of the through-going holesof the body portion and the drum. The outer pins have differringlengths. When a key having a plurality of projections of differinglengths is inserted into the drum so that the projections are insertedinto the through-going holes of the drum, the outer pins move the innerpins against the force of the springs so that the proximal ends of theouter pins and inner pins coincide with an axial interface between thebody portion and the drum. Thereby, the drum can rotate and engage ordisengage a slot provided in one end section of the shackle member sothat the latter can be locked in or unlocked from the body portion. Theother end section of the shackle member is spring-biased in the bodyportion. Such a construction is disclosed, for example, in theInventor's Certificate of the USSR No. 275 274. This construction has adisadvantage that its safety or "secrecy" is limited to combination ofthe holes of only one drum and the projections of only one key.Furthermore, the spring-biasing of the other end section of the shacklemember is complicated. The known lock must have and actually has a coverwhich covers the drum from outside and holds it in connected conditionwith the body portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apadlock which has a higher safety or secrecy as compared with the knownpadlock, and at the same time is of a simple construction and easy tomanufacture.

In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparenthereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides in that tworeceiving holes are provided in two axial ends of a body of the padlock,and two drums are rotably received in these holes, the drums beingprovided with outer pins of differing lengths, and also in that commonsprings are received in through-going holes of the body and act in twoopposite direction upon inner pins of both drums, simultaneously. Twokeys are provided having projections of differing lengths complementaryto the differing lengths of the outer pins in the drums.

The above-mentioned construction has a significantly increased safety orsecrecy as a result of provision of the additional set of pins in thesecond drum and the additional key. At the same time, this is attainedin a new, original and unexpected manner. Only one set of springs areutilized for simultaneously urging the inner pins acting upon the outerpins of two drums. This provides for material economy, simplicity ofconstruction, and easiness to manufacture.

The novel features of the present invention are set forth in particularin the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be bestunderstood from the following description of preferred embodiment takingtogether with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an axial section of a padlock in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of the padlock shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sections of the padlock in the regions of axial endportions in a direction transverse to the padlock axis; and

FIG. 6 is a view showing a key for the inventive padlock.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A padlock in accordance with the present invention has a body identifiedby reference numeral 1 and having a central portion 2 and two endportions 3 and 4. They are connected with one another, for example, byriveting. The central portion 2 may be composed of a plurality ofsheets. The end portions 3 and 4 have receiving axial holes 3' and 4'and two transverse holes 3" and 4", respectively.

A shackle member 5 has two end sections receivable in the transverseholes 3" and 4" of the end portions 3 and 4 of the body 1 and eachhaving an arcuate slot 5'. Two drums 6 and 7 are further provided. Eachdrum is received in the receiving hole of the respective end portion ofthe body 1, so as to form an axial interface between an inner axialsurface of the drum and an axially outer surface of the central portion2 of the body 1.

Each drum has a plurality of through-going holes 6' and 7' respectively,of an identical number and location. As can be seen from the drawing,the through-going holes 6' and 7' are stepped. The above mentioned holesare provided in the drums. The central portion 2 of the body 1 also hasthrough-going holes 2' whose number and location correspond to those ofthe through-going holes 6' and 7' of the end portions 6 and 7.

A plurality of outer pins 8 are located in the trough-going holes 6' ofthe drum 6, and a plurality of outer pins 9 are located in thethrough-going holes 7' of the drum 7. Inner pins 10 and 11 are provided.In the position shown in FIG. 1, the inner pins extend both through theholes 6' and 7' of the drums 6 and 7 and the holes 2' of the centralportion of the body 1. Springs 12 are located between the inner pins 10and 11 and are operative for urging the latter axially outwardly in twoopposite axial directions.

The drums 6 and 7 have arcuate engaging portions 13 and 14,respectively. Stops 15 and 16 are located in a path of the arcuateengaging portions 13 and 14, respectively. The arcuate engaging portions13 and 14 can engage in the slots 5' of the end sections of the shacklemember 5.

At least two outer pins 6' have differing lengths, and at least twoouter pins 7' have also differing lengths. At least one pin 6' has alength differing from the length of one of the pins 7'. In practice, allpins 6' and 7' have differing lengths.

Two keys 17 and 18 having projections 17' and 18' are provided. Theprojections 17' have lengths which are complementary to the length ofthe outer pins 8, whereas the projections 18' have lengths which arecomplementary to the lengths of the outer pins 10. As can be seen fromthe drawing, the two keys 17 and 18 may be of onepiece with each otherso as to form an integral member. However, they may be separate members.In the first mentioned case, the projections may be casted together withthe body of the key, or may be produced by machining with subsequentpressing them into the body of the key.

It is also possible that the drums have holes which are notthrough-going, in addition to the through-going holes, and respectivesprings, inner pins, and outer pins are accomodated in such blind holes.The keys must have, in this case, respective projections. Since theabove mentioned additional blind holes are known per se in the art anddo not constitute a part of the present invention, they are not shown inthe drawing.

The inventive padlock operates in the following manner: In the lockedposition shown in FIG. 1, the springs 12 urge the inner pins axiallyoutwardly so that their distal ends project axially outwardly beyond thecentral portion 2 of the body 1 and into the drums. In this position thedrums cannot rotate and the arcuate sections 13 and 14 engage in theslots 5' of the shackle member 5 so as to lock the latter in the body 1.

When the projections 17' of the key 17 are inserted into the holes 6' ofthe drum 6, the outer pins 8 and the inner pins 9 are moved inwardlyagainst the force of the springs 12 so that the proximal ends of theouter pins 8 and the inner pins 9 coincide with the interface betweenthe drum 6 and the central portion 2 of the body 1. The drum 6 can nowrotate so that to withdraw the engaging section 13 from the slot 5' ofone end section of the shackle member 5. Then the projections 18' of thekey 18 are inserted into the holes 7' of the drum 7, The outer pins 10and the inner pins 11 are moved inwardly against the force of the samesprings 12 so that the proximal ends thereof coincide with the interfacebetween the drum 7 and the central portion 2 of the body 1. Then theengaging section 14 are withdrawn from the slot 5' of the other endsection of the shackle member 5. The shackle member 5 can now bewithdrawn from the body 1, or more particularly, from the holes 3" and4" of the body 1.

In the locked position, one circumferential end of the engaging members13 and 14 abuts against the stop members 15 and 16, whereas in theunlocked position the other circumferential end of the engaging members13 and 14 abut against the stop members 15 and 16. The drums may rotatefrom the locked position to the unlocked position in two oppositecircumferential direction, or more particularly in the clockwise andcounterclockwise directions, respectively. This means that in differentpositions, different circumferential ends of the two engaging members 13and 14 engage the stops 15 and 16.

In such a padlock not only the projections of one key and the outer pinsof one drum have differing lengths, but also the projections of thesecond key and the outer pins of the second drum have differing lengths.This improves the safety and increases the secrecy of the padlock. Theopposite directions of rotation also increases the safety of thepadlock. At the same time, only one set of springs is required foractuating two sets of the inner pins and outer pins.

Each key has at least two control pins 19, 20 and 21,22, respectively.The pins 19 and 20 are spaced from one another in the axial directionor/and in the circumferential direction differently as compared with thepins 21 and 22. The drums 6 and 7 have control holes 23,24 and 25,26having location and depth corresponding to the location and heights ofthe control pins 19,20 and 21,22, respectively. Thus, it is easy torecognize which key must be inserted in a respective one of the drums.

The lock is material and part economical not only as a result of theprovision of only one set of springs, but also since two end sections ofthe shackle member are inserted and withdrawn, whereby no spring-biasingof the shackle member is needed.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention, that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the presentinvention which is described and claimed here in the presentapplication.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
 1. A padlock, comprisinga body having an axis, two axial end portions and a central portion therebetween, each of said end portions having a first circular hole extending in an axial direction and a second hole extending in a direction which is transverse to said axial direction, said central portion having a plurality of through-going third holes which extend between and are open into said first holes; a shackle member having two end sections and movable between a first transverse position in which said end sections are inserted into said second holes of said body, and a second transverse position in which said end sections are withdrawn from said second holes of said body, each of said end sections of said shackle member having a slot; two drums each having an engaging section and a plurality of further through-going holes whose number and location correspond to those of said through-going holes of said central portion of said body, each of said drums being inserted in a respective one of said first holes and rotatable about said axis between a first circumferential position in which said through-going holes of said drums are in alignment with said through-going holes of said central portion of said body and said engaging section of said drums engage said slots of said end sections of said shackle member when the latter is in its first transverse position so as to lock said shackle member in said body, and a second circumferential position in which said through-going holes of said drums are withdrawn from alignment with said through-going holes of said central portion of said body and said engaging sections of said drums are withdrawn from engagement with said slots of said end sections of said shackle member so that the latter can be moved from said first transverse position to said second transverse position to thereby unlock said shackle member from said body; a plurality of springs each located in a respective one of said through-going holes of said central portion of said body and acting in two opposite axial directions; a plurality of pairs of inner pins having an identical length, the pins of each pair of said inner pins being located at opposite axial sides of a respective one of said springs, said inner pins being movable between a first axial position in which they extend through both said through-going holes of said central portion of said body and the through-going holes of a respective one of said drums so that distal ends of said inner pins are axially outwardly offset relative to an interfaces between said central portion of said body and a respective one of said drums whereby said drums cannot rotate about said axis, and a second circumferential position in which said pins are withdrawn from said through-going holes of said drums into said through-going holes of said central portion of said body so that said distal ends of said inner pins coincide with the interfaces between said central portion of said body and a respective one of said drums whereby the latter can rotate between said first and second circumferential positions; a first plurality of outer pins and a second plurality of outer pins, the outer pins of said first plurality being located in said through-going holes of one of said drums whereas the outer pins of said second plurality are located in said through-going holes of the other drum, at least two outer pins of each plurality having differing lengths, and at least one outer pin of said first plurality having a length differing from the length of at least one outer pin of said second plurality; and two keys a first of which has a first plurality of projections having lengths complementary to the lengths of said outer pins of said first plurality, whereas the second key has a second plurality of projections having lengths complementary to the lengths of the outer pins of said second plurality, so that when one of said keys is inserted into said through-going holes of one of said drums, the outer pins located in said one drum urge respective inner pins against the force of said springs to said second axial position, and when the other key is inserted into said through-going holes of the other drum, the outer pins located in said other drum urge the respective inner pins against the force of the same springs to said second axial position, whereas when said one key is withdrawn and said other key is withdrawn from said drums, the same springs urge the inner pins of said pairs to said first axial position.
 2. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said two keys are of one piece with each other.
 3. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein said end portions and said central portion of said body are separate members and are connected with one another, so that said springs, said inner pins and said outer pins may be inserted into respective through-going holes before connection of said portions with each other.
 4. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said drums is movable from said first circumferential position into said second circumferential position in a clockwise direction, whereas the other drum is movable from said first circumferential position into said second circumferential position in a counterclockwise direction.
 5. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said drums has an arcuate portion arranged to engage into and disengage from the slot of a respective one of said end sections of said shackle member and having two circumferentially spaced ends; and further comprising a stop member in each of said first holes and arranged so that in said first circumferential position of each drum one circumferential end of its arcuate portion abuts against a respective stop member whereas in said second circumferential position the other circumferential end of its arcuate portion abuts against said stop member.
 6. A padlock as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said drums has at least two control holes and each of said keys has at least two control projections engageable into two control holes of a respective one of said drums, the control holes of one drum and the control projections of one key having a location differing from that of the control holes of the other drum and the control projections of the other key, respectively. 